Talk Talk (RIP Mark Hollis)

Someone ought to do a super long career spanning and candid interview with Danny Thompson ASAP, seriously. He turns 80 on Thursday!

He's the best. I saw him do a really memorable duo show with (no relation) Richard Thompson.

fwiw he is on Colour of Spring as well, if no one mentioned.

Another great Danny record is Tim Buckley’s ‘Dream Letter Live In London’ set

yes! it's fantastic. any of those recordings from that european tour, there's some great live versions of "i don't need it to rain" with thompson killing it on bass

Where can I get that? On a boot?

I imagine so. Don't think there are any other official releases from that tour

actually according to discogs it's not thompson at all on the recording i'm thinking of but Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, i guess thompson wasn't around for the whole tour

also apparently according to discogs, the guy who provided the label the tape deliberately degraded the sound quality since it wasn't meant for release, which i guess explains why it sounds like shit, would be nice if the un-degraded tape was to get released somewhere

sorry for the misdirect, for what it's worth pedersen rips it the fuck up on the bass, i should probably check out some more of his shit, he played bass on "my name is albert ayler", which i have heard, and dexter gordon's "one flight up", which i guess i'm listening to next!

Listened to Spirit of Eden last night as I was drifting off to sleep - it's such a great night time album, even with the intense dynamics of 'Desire' ...

been listening to your mix this afternoon, soundslike. it really is fantastic.

it worked especially well against spring rain while i did quiet chores around the house. perfectly beautiful.

He's the best. I saw him do a really memorable duo show with (no relation) Richard Thompson.

Honestly all these years I assumed they were brothers!

Wot, like you and Paul?

lol, pssh.... nm.

i liked your mix too, soundslike. i listened to it while repainting the appartment. the usual suspects on it plus some interesting, unknown music to me. the mix flows very nicely.

I made a second mix in tribute to Mark Hollis, this time focusing on music from the very late 60s and the 1970s:

https://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/musicophilia_00_various_-_remembrance_1969-1978_cover.jpg?w=1024

Various - 'Remembrance - A Life (1955-2019)'
1969-1978

Part I

01 [0:00:00] Alice Coltrane - "Hare Krishna" ('Universal Consciousness' 1971)
02 [0:03:00] Terry Callier - "Dancing Girl" ('What Color Is Love' 1972)
03 [0:12:00] Leonard Cohen - "Avalanche" ('Songs of Love and Hate' 1971)
04 [0:17:00] Miles Davis - "Sanctuary" ('Bitches Brew' 1970)
05 [0:27:50] Terry Reid - "Milestones" ('River' 1973)
06 [0:33:40] Scott Walker - "It's Raining Today" ('Scott 3' 1969)
07 [0:37:40] Nico - "You Forgot To Answer" ('The End...' 1974)
08 [0:42:35] Brother Ah - "The Sea" ('The Sea' 1978)
09 [0:48:20] Can - "Sing Swan Song" ('Ege Bamyasi' 1972)
10 [0:52:45] Van Morrison - "You Don't Pull No Punches..." ('Veedon Fleece' 1974)
11 [1:01:30] Tim Buckley - "Cafe" ('Blue Afternoon' 1969)

Part II

12 [1:06:55] Big Star - "Kanga Roo" ('Third' 1975)
13 [1:10:40] Pharoah Sanders - "Astral Travelling" ('Thembi' 1971)
14 [1:16:25] Richard & Linda Thompson - "The Great Valerio" ('I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight' 1974)
15 [1:21:50] Judee Sill - "The Donor" ('Heart Food' 1973)
16 [1:29:20] Brian Eno - "French Catalogues" ('Discreet Music' 1975)
17 [1:34:30] Abercrombie-Hammer-DeJohnette - "Timeless" ('Timeless' 1975)
18 [1:45:50] John Martyn - "Go Down Easy" ('Solid Air' 1973)
19 [1:49:20] Beverly Glenn-Copeland - "Ghost House" ('Beverly Glenn-Copeland' 1970)
20 [1:56:40] Simon Jeffes - "Chartered Flight" ('Music From the Penguin Cafe' 1976)
21 [2:03:15] Nick Drake - "Saturday Sun" ('Five Leaves Left' 1969)
22 [2:07:20] Paul Bley - "Closer" ('Open, To Love' 1973)

[Total Time: 2:13:00]

Please stream or download here: https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2019/04/02/remembrance-for-mark-hollis/

Another title connect -
Third World War - Ascension Day

Listened to 'Mark Hollis' for the first time through since he passed, this evening. For me, probably the most singular record I know. I love what I included in the mixes and I feel like there's a common spirit. But man, truly nothing really sounds like this record, or really the last two Talk Talk records.

sprit of talk talk book getting a reprint. have pre-ordered. not missing it this time around godammit.

The reprint of the 'Spirit of Talk Talk' book arrived last week, and it's just lovely. I didn't own the original, so I can't compare, but I think the writers did a stand up job reissuing the book and incorporating the death of Mark Hollis in it. It's properly addressed (how could it not?) but in context of the 'story' and history of the band. It's a sterling book, visibly made with so much love.

Aside: for the recluse Hollis came to be it's funny to see there are SO MANY *official PR/Press photos* of the band and of Hollis. I tend to forget they were an 80s band proper, where releasing even "difficult albums" like their last two were accompanied with photo shoots to go with press releases. Endearing photos, it's great to see them all together here.

I thought this might have raised an eyebrow, interesting line-up -

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/132355-celebration-talk-talk-and-mark-hollis-2019

I saw that listed, but none of the musicians names rang a bell, so I assumed it was like those cheap Cleopatra covers CD's where there are just a bunch of no-names trying to capitalize on another bands legacy. So the participating musicians are from notable bands?

Well, it's weird, Simon Bremner was the original keyboard player and Martin Ditcham and Rupert Black were members of the touring band circa CoS iirc.

No idea about the rest of the names though, I don't recognise them.

Most of them seem to have played with Talk Talk at some point, if only in the short-lived mid-80s live band. David Rhodes played with Peter Gabriel for ages too, the others I didn't recognise until I looked them up, mostly session dudes tbh. Maybe Johnny Turnbull's the 23 Skidoo guy?

xpost

I think David Rhodes played on CoS, that's his guitar lick on Life's What You Make it iirc

i believe turnbull is the mulleted guitar player as seen in the montreux show

Isn't that the guitarist from the Blockheads?

http://youtu.be/NS5bxk89gQg?t=17

Same guy, right? That mullet is something else.

Yeah same guy!

looks like curnow and black played synths on that tour too! i wasn't excited for this tribute before but i've watched montreux so many times that my mind pretty much considers them members of the band

I *finally* purchased Spirit of Talk Talk (shipping costs and all that) and must second how lovely it is. Amazingly put together.

https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2019/08/25/aquarium-drunkard-presents-a-tribute-to-talk-talk-los-angeles-8-26/

Mark Hollis' solo album is getting a vinyl repress, you can order it at Burning Shed, and presumably elsewhere.

I think I pre-ordered this a long time ago. When is it being released?

Looks like I also have the internet. The release date is November 11.

Armistice Day seems apt

Nice little interview with James Marsh over on the Test Pressing site:

http://testpressing.org/magazine/soun-and-vision-james-marsh

just listening to Pass The Mic by the Beastie Boys, and it sounds like they're rapping over Talk Talk.

Aren’t they rapping over Edie Brickell?

Listened to the Mark Hollis solo album today. It’s only flaw is that it comes last in a trilogy of perfect albums.

it's so good

A perfect album.

Various - 'Elegy for Mark Hollis - A Life (1955-2019)'
1982-2000
01 [0:00:00] David Sylvian - "Brilliant Trees" ('Brilliant Trees' 1984)
02 [0:09:05] Rachel's - "Full On Night" ('Handrwiting' 1995)
03 [0:15:40] Neil Young - "Guitar Solo #4" ('Dead Man' 1996)
04 [0:19:45] The Durutti Columm - "Without Mercy (Stanzas IX-XII)" ('Without Mercy' 1984)
05 [0:26:45] The For Carnation - "Moonbeams" ('The For Carnation' 2000)
06 [0:36:05] Scott Walker - "Sleepwalkers Woman" ('Climate of Hunter' 1984)
07 [0:40:05] Robert Wyatt - "Maryan" ('Shleep' 1997)
08 [0:46:15] Paul Motian Trio - "India" ('It Should've Happened a Long Time Ago' 1985)
09 [0:53:35] Low - "Landlord" ('Songs For A Dead Pilot' 1997)
10 [1:00:15] The Comsat Angels - "Pictures" ('Fiction' 1982)
11 [1:04:40] Dif Juz - "Marooned" ('Extractions' 1985)
12 [1:08:35] Shelleyan Orphan - "Supernature on a Superhighway" ('Humroot' 1992)
13 [1:15:30] Danny Thompson - "Till Minne Av Jan" ('Whatever' 1987)
14 [1:20:15] Stina Nordenstam - "Dynamite" ('Dynamite' 1996)
15 [1:24:35] Haruomi Hosono - "Trembling #1" ('The Endless Talking' 1985)
16 [1:27:40] Dead Can Dance - "The Host of Seraphim" ('The Serpent's Egg' 1988)
17 [1:33:25] Yasuaki Shimizu - "Stir In This Way" ('Kakashi' 1982)
18 [1:35:35] Mick Karn - "Dreams of Reason" ('Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters' 1986)
19 [1:39:15] Arthur Russell - "Not Checking Up" ('World of Echo' demo 1986)
20 [1:43:40] This Mortal Coil - "The Lacemaker" ('Blood' 1991)
21 [1:46:45] Peter Gabriel - "With This Love" ('Passion' 1989)
22 [1:50:05] The Blue Nile - "Regret" ('Tinseltown In the Rain' single 1984)
23 [1:53:30] Talk Talk - "It's Getting Late in the Evening" ('Life's What You Make It' single 1986)

[Total Time: 1:59:17]

Downloadable or streamable here: https://www.mixcloud.com/musicophilia/musicophilia-elegy-for-mark-hollis-a-life-1955-2019/

― Soundslike, Thursday, March 28, 2019 12:38 AM (nine months ago) bookmarkflaglink

Just want to say I've been back to this mix numerous times over the last year, I think it really is something special.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFUaj8rHN2x/?igshid=29d5ab1a075t

great :)

Paul Webb’s IG is a treat, thanks for posting it

This week has been perfect for Hollis' solo album - the shortening days, the gathering gloom. It's a cliche to say it but it's such a mysterious album, so spare and obtuse that one is driven to look for clues. I keep coming back to the final verse of Westward Bound, which - particularly coming off the back of the Roland Leighton homage of A Life (1895-1915) - carries the weight of an engraving or an inscription:

Migrate
Job on the threshing line
Mute I walk
Idle ground
Westward bound

That's the sparest song on a spare album.

westward bound is my favourite. the voice barely

Various - 'Elegy for Mark Hollis - A Life (1955-2019)'
1982-2000
01 [0:00:00] David Sylvian - "Brilliant Trees" ('Brilliant Trees' 1984)
02 [0:09:05] Rachel's - "Full On Night" ('Handrwiting' 1995)
03 [0:15:40] Neil Young - "Guitar Solo #4" ('Dead Man' 1996)
04 [0:19:45] The Durutti Columm - "Without Mercy (Stanzas IX-XII)" ('Without Mercy' 1984)
05 [0:26:45] The For Carnation - "Moonbeams" ('The For Carnation' 2000)
06 [0:36:05] Scott Walker - "Sleepwalkers Woman" ('Climate of Hunter' 1984)
07 [0:40:05] Robert Wyatt - "Maryan" ('Shleep' 1997)
08 [0:46:15] Paul Motian Trio - "India" ('It Should've Happened a Long Time Ago' 1985)
09 [0:53:35] Low - "Landlord" ('Songs For A Dead Pilot' 1997)
10 [1:00:15] The Comsat Angels - "Pictures" ('Fiction' 1982)
11 [1:04:40] Dif Juz - "Marooned" ('Extractions' 1985)
12 [1:08:35] Shelleyan Orphan - "Supernature on a Superhighway" ('Humroot' 1992)
13 [1:15:30] Danny Thompson - "Till Minne Av Jan" ('Whatever' 1987)
14 [1:20:15] Stina Nordenstam - "Dynamite" ('Dynamite' 1996)
15 [1:24:35] Haruomi Hosono - "Trembling #1" ('The Endless Talking' 1985)
16 [1:27:40] Dead Can Dance - "The Host of Seraphim" ('The Serpent's Egg' 1988)
17 [1:33:25] Yasuaki Shimizu - "Stir In This Way" ('Kakashi' 1982)
18 [1:35:35] Mick Karn - "Dreams of Reason" ('Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters' 1986)
19 [1:39:15] Arthur Russell - "Not Checking Up" ('World of Echo' demo 1986)
20 [1:43:40] This Mortal Coil - "The Lacemaker" ('Blood' 1991)
21 [1:46:45] Peter Gabriel - "With This Love" ('Passion' 1989)
22 [1:50:05] The Blue Nile - "Regret" ('Tinseltown In the Rain' single 1984)
23 [1:53:30] Talk Talk - "It's Getting Late in the Evening" ('Life's What You Make It' single 1986)

[Total Time: 1:59:17]

Downloadable or streamable here: https://www.mixcloud.com/musicophilia/musicophilia-elegy-for-mark-hollis-a-life-1955-2019/

― Soundslike, Thursday, March 28, 2019 12:38 AM (nine months ago) bookmarkflaglink

Just want to say I've been back to this mix numerous times over the last year, I think it really is something special.

I've come back to these Hollis tribute mixes a lot, too. Thank you--really glad you dig them.

Should probably post this one here, too--not specifically a Hollis tribute, but certainly inspired by him (especially solo album) and trying to find that sparer-than-spare sound. 'Westward Bound' is the kick-off and the cornerstone:

https://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/musicophilia_00__various_-_pith-echo_1968-2019_cover-a.jpg?w=768

Various – ‘Pith & Echo’
1968-2019

Part I

01 [00:00] Mark Hollis – “Westward Bound” (‘Mark Hollis’ 1998)
02 [04:10] Low – “It’s All Been Done” (‘Double Negative’ 2018)
03 [07:40] David Sylvian – “The Only Daughter” (‘Blemish’ 2003)
04 [12:55] The Knife – “Still LIght” (‘SIlent Shout’ 2006)
05 [16:00] Areski – “Liberte” (‘Un Beau Matin’ 1971)
06 [17:55] Melanie De Biasio – “Brother” (‘Lilies’ 2017)
07 [21:00] Brian Eno – “By This River” (‘Before And After Science’ 1977)
08 [24:00] Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – “Sealand” (‘Architecture & Morality’ 1981)
09 [31:40] Yves Jarvis – “To Say That Is Easy” (‘The Same But By Different Means’ 2019)
10 [35:50] Jansen / Barbieri – “The Insomniac’s Bed” (‘Stories Across Borders’ 1991)
11 [39:40] Tor Lundvall – “Falling Trees” (‘Sleeping And Hiding’ 2005)
12 [42:45] Anja Garbarek – “It Seems We Talk” (‘Smiling & Waving’ 2001)
13 [47:20] Grouper – “Blouse” (‘Grid of Points’ 2018)

Part II

14 [49:40] John Martyn – “Small Hours” (‘One World’ 1977)
15 [58:35] Nico – “Frozen Warnings (Alternate)” (‘The Marble Index’ 1968)
16 [62:55] Arthur Russell – “All-Boy All-Girl” (‘World of Echo’ 1986)
17 [66:35] Richard Skelton – “Votive” (‘Border Ballads’ 2019)
18 [69:05] Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man – “Show” (‘Out of Season’ 2002)
19 [73:25] Bonnie Prince Billy – “Banks of Red Roses” (‘When We Are Inhuman’ 2019)
20 [79:05] Bjork – “All Is Full of Love” (‘Homogenic’ 1997)
21 [83:20] Colin Self – “Once More” (‘Orphans’ EP 2019)
22 [90:05] Yosuke Tokunaga – “Table” (‘8 Furnitures’ 2019)
23 [93:50] Duendita – “Bury Me” (‘direct line to My Creator’ 2018)
24 [98:25] Moses Sumney – “Doomed” (‘Aromanticism’ 2017)

[Total Time: 1:42:50]

download/stream here: https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2020/02/23/pith-and-echo/